A Thematic Analysis of Perceptions and Experiences Regarding Clinical Hypnosis from Palliative Care Health Professionals, Patients, and Their Relatives.

Abstract

Background: Clinical hypnosis appears to hold some promising effects for patients at end-of-life. Patients and health care professionals (HPs) are inclined to adopt the practice. Yet, the experience of hypnosis in this context remains under-researched. Objectives: To understand the process of integrating hypnosis into conventional care and the needs of palliative care patients and their relatives. Design: A qualitative study based on semi-structured interviews conducted between February 2022 and January 2023 in Switzerland. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using thematic analysis. Setting/Subjects: The total sample was composed of 44 participants, including 30 service users who received hypnosis (20 palliative care patients and 10 relatives) and 14 palliative care HPs, among whom 5 were hypnosis practitioners. Results: Based on the feedback of HPs, we mapped various practices of offering and integrating hypnosis in palliative care. Then, we identified five sub-themes relating to the participants' experience of hypnosis and self-hypnosis: (1) factors influencing the choice to engage in hypnosis; (2) reasons for not recommending hypnosis; (3) effects and meaning of hypnosis; (4) difficulties and drawbacks; and (5) the perception of the practice of self-hypnosis. Conclusions: The practice of hypnosis is very diverse and constrained by resources and limitations in institutional support. Patients and relatives identified that hypnosis had a positive impact to enable them to recognize and mobilize their personal resources toward greater self-empowerment. Our findings suggest that hypnosis might hold a real potential for patients and their relatives, thus warranting further study of its effects in palliative care.